Cartridge

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns with ammunition and may be used for manufacturing cartridges of rifle arms and other kinds of ammunition, as well as for improving characteristics of sniper riffle barrels.  
     The basic task of the invention is improvement of the cartridge design by the following way: an additional covering on a bullet made on the basis of a film-forming organic carrier with filling substance on the basis of the products of hydrate dehydration containing oxides provides improvement of close grouping of shooting; the adverse conditions of weapon storage render less influence on this characteristic, that indicates the stabilization of barrel channel parameters and increase of weapon survivability.  
     The application of REVITALIZANT-XADO as an additional covering allows fastening the process of leveling, smoothing of barrel channels and achieving improvement of close grouping of shooting from 30% up to 44.5% and more. Meeting the requirements of the weapon exploitation technical specification and of the maintenance instruction permits the regenerative effect to progress and to reach 60% according to the criterion of close grouping of shooting both during the storage and the further operation.

[0001] The invention concerns to ammunition and may be used as forcartridges of a small arms, and other kinds of ammunition, as well asfor improvement of characteristics of sniper riffle barrels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] It is known, that in firearms the smokeless gunpowder chargealmost completely turns into the gaseous products at combustion havinghigh elasticity and temperature. The pressure of powder gases, operatingon a bottom of a bullet, creates movement of a bullet in the barrelchannel. In spite of the fact that the movement in the barrel channel ischaracterized by short duration (about 0.002 sec), the influence ofpowder gases is essentially at intensive shooting. The channel offirearm barrel wears out especially essentially. The channel of theautomatic weapon wears out the most quickly.

[0003] The result of firearms barrel wear is loss first of all the closegrouping of shooting, reduction of distance of shooting and decrease ofdestructive power connected to it. Though these characteristics dependon many reasons, however such factors as design of ammunition andpreparation of weapon and ammunition for shooting may change the saidcharacteristics essentially in the best or on the contrary in the worseside.

[0004] The various designs of ammunition are created with the purpose ofimprovement of the said characteristics, using thus various modernmaterials. A number of ammunition devices are known to have beenreconstructed in order to reach friction and wear reduction. Forexample, a cartridge of 5.6 millimeters calibre, containing a metalsleeve, a cap, a powder charge and a bullet [see the Specification tothe U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,463, IC. F 42 B 12/82, dated from Dec. 13,1996]. The head part of a bullet has a circular groove and is coveredwith a synthetic lubricant. Or, for example, a bullet with the metalcore made of sintered metal powder with a covering from plastic or metal[see the Specification to the Great Britain patent No 2278423, IC. F 42B 12/74, dated from. Nov. 30, 1994]. The covering made of plastic iscovered in process of immersing of a heated up bullet in plastic.

[0005] The ammunition devices mentioned above reduce friction basicallyin the breech part of a weapon and do not influence its wear or frictionin the weapon barrel shooting.

[0006] It is known that there is an artillery shell with a device thatreduces wear of a barrel and a method of its manufacturing [see thespecification of WO 9528612, IC. F 42 B 5/24, dated from Oct. 26, 1995].The shell contains a sleeve which wall tablets made of material reducingbarrel wear when shooting, which are fastened to the wall of the sleeve.The tablets contain a paraffin component, which sticks them to thesleeve wall when stiffening. Such way of fastening the protectivematerial tablets may be applied for various calibre shells.

[0007] However the tablets located on the sleeve walls render veryinsignificant influence on a riffle barrels whole, and, consequently, onsuch characteristic as close grouping of shooting. Besides, thetechnology of using such tablets may be applied only for artilleryshells, that is for an ammunition of large calibre.

[0008] It is known, that there is also a high-speed bullet to shoot fromrifled fire-arms [see the Specification to the U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,853,IC F 42 B 12/34, dated from Nov. 2, 1994] which contains a core, thatcan be deformed, an envelope and details fixing the envelope on the coreof a bullet. The details fixing the envelope on the core of a bullet arelocated in the apertures of the envelope and they serve for reduction offriction between a bullet and barrel channel rifling shooting.

[0009] Owing to reduction of friction between a bullet and barrelchannel rifling the wear of the channel of a rifle barrel decreasesalso. However, complexity of bullet design reduces application rangecartridges.

[0010] Besides, it is known a bullet which contains an envelope with aleaden shirt and a core [see the Specification to the Russian Federationpatent No 2034231, IC F 42 B 12/06, dated from Jun. 30, 1990.], wherethe close grouping of shooting is 16-18% more than the known ones due tothe core made of a solid alloy and the specific form of a bottom part ofa leaden shirt. The specific form of the leading part of a bullet allowsavoiding formation of bulges and envelope separation from the lead shirtat envelopes bending, i.e. promotes increase durability of assembly ofbullet elements owing to what additional increase of close groupingshooting takes place.

[0011] However, when using the ammunition described above, the highparameters of close group shooting are characteristic mainly for thenew, that is unworn out rifle arms, and they decrease essentiallyreduced after short period of usage because of wear of barrels channels.

[0012] The most similar to the declared decision according to itspurpose, technical essence and the application result that must bereached while using the cartridge is a bullet, a powder charge anignition cap and a sleeve [see Zug A. B A small arms.—M.: MilitaryPublishing House. 1992. 645-648 p.]. The type of a cartridge of theinfantry weapon established at the beginning of last century does notundergo basic changes and serves its purpose perfectly.

[0013] However, as in previous case, when using the ammunition describedabove, the high parameters of close group shooting are characteristicmainly for the new, that is unworn out rifle arms, and they decreaseessentially after short period of usage because of wear of barrelchannels. Thus, the problem of increasing the weapon resource andimprovement of its characteristics is still actual today.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Therefore, the purpose of the offered technical decision isreduction of wear of the firearms barrel channel and, as consequence,increase of close group shooting and other characteristics of theweapon.

[0015] The basis of the invention is the improvement of the cartridgedesign by additional covering on a bullet with thickness δ=(0.01 to0.03) D, where D is the bullet diameter appropriate to a bullet calibre,made on the basis of a film-forming organic carrier with fillingsubstance, that are products of dehydration of the hydrates containingoxides as MgO, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, CaO, Fe₂O₃, K₂O, Na₂O, at the fillingsubstance (0.05-0.15) grm/ml, therefore, apparently, the improvement ofrotation transfer by the barrel channel grooves due the additionalcovering of a bullet is provided, the nutation corner in flightdecreases, its gyroscopic stability in flight increases, and thereforesuch important characteristic as close grouping of shooting is improved,the adverse conditions of weapon storage render less influence on thischaracteristic that indicates the stabilization of barrel channelparameters and increase of weapon survivability.

[0016] The problem mentioned above is solved so that in the knowncartridge containing a bullet, a powder charge, an ignition cap and asleeve, according to the invention, the addition covering with thickness6=(0.01 to 0.03) D is located on a bullet, where D is the bulletdiameter appropriate to the bullet calibre, it is made on the basis of afilm-forming organic carrier contains filling substance, the latter isproducts of dehydration of the hydrates containing oxides as MgO. SiO₂,Al₂O₃, CaO, Fe₂₀₃, K₂O, Na₂O, at the filling substance (0.05 to 0.15)grm/ml in the film-forming carrier.

[0017] According to preferred embodiment of the invention, afilm-forming gel on the basis of paraffin is used as an organic carrierfor cartridges of calibre 22LR, 5.56×45 to 7.62×39, the covering beingput on the whole bullet surface.

[0018] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, afilm-forming polymer is used as an organic carrier for cartridges ofcalibre 7.62×54 and bigger, the covering being applied as a belt of thewidth h=(0.7 to 1.8) D and at the distance L (0.5 to 0.7) D from thebullet tip.

[0019] The values of covering thickness, width of belts and distancesfrom the bullet tip (ammunition) above mentioned are optimum from thepoint of view of the film filling substance and achievable effect.

[0020] As it is seen from the description of the technical decision,that is declared, it differs from the prototype and, consequently, it isnew.

[0021] The decision has also an inventive level. The method ofmanufacturing wear resistant fire-arms barrels is known [see theDescription to the Ukrainian patent No 35.271 A IC 41 A 21/00, publishedfrom. Mar. 15, 2001]. It includes its preliminary clearing and treatingby ultra disperse powder or a mixture of ultra disperse powder with thetechnological environment before each shot of a series which includesnot less than 3-5 shots, by covering an external surface of each shelland an internal surface of a barrel with ultra disperse powder or amixture of ultra disperse powder with the technological environmenttaking into account that ultra disperse powder is produced of naturalmineral belonging to layered silicates.

[0022] It was shown by tests, that usage of the technical decisiondescribed above provides increase of survivability of the fire-arms,that can be proved by steady improvement of its ballisticcharacteristics of the new as well as worn out weapons. In this casefulfillment of the certain conditions can make requirements of weaponstorage less strict.

[0023] However, the method cannot be referred to technological ones, itcan't be mechanized and applied for in the adverse conditions.

[0024] The present technical decision differs essentially frompreviously suggested one. It allows to prepare cartridges (ammunition)on conditions of the mass mechanized manufacture, with essentialreduction of the filling substance and expenses for its manufacturing.The cartridges (ammunition) providing high ballistic properties of theweapon are suitable for transportation and usage on various conditions.

[0025] There is a composition to treat pairs of friction [see theUkrainian patent 34768, IC C10M 125/10, published from Jun. 15, 2001].It includes oxides of metals and nonmetals based on the products ofdehydration of the hydrates at the temperature of the constitutionalwater removal and destruction of a crystal lattice in an interval400-900° C. and which in a steady phase contain such oxides as MgO,SiO₂, Al₂O₃, CaO, Fe₂O₃, K₂O, Na₂O. The specified composition is used ina mixture with various fluid technological environments for decreasefriction and wear.

[0026] The present technical decision differs essentially from the onesuggested previously, because it uses the film-forming materials as acarrier, that provides formation of a steady additional covering on thebullet surface with uniform distribution of the necessary fillingsubstance in the given zone. But the most important factor is that thecovering fixation on the bullet surface provides an opportunity to usethe necessary cartridges avoiding full wear of arm channels. As it ismarked above, such a design of a cartridge is technological and suitablefor mass production.

[0027] It is necessary to note also once again, that at the stableeffect of increasing close grouping of shooting such parameter as speedof a bullet during tests might change a little bit both aside increase,and aside decrease or to remain constant. This fact gives the basis forthe statement, that the offered decision gives a new technical result,that is improvement of transfer to a bullet of rotation by the channelgrooves of a barrel through the additional bullet covering. Thus,probably, in this case, there is a leveling, smoothing of barrelchannels, and due to its the corner of bullets nutation decreases inflight, its gyroscopic stability raises in flight.

[0028] The offered technical decision may find wide application forammunition manufacture, as well as for operational development of barrelchannels of rifle arms up to higher parameters.

USE OF THE INVENTION

[0029] On FIG. 1. A cartridge with a covering made of film-forming gelwith filling substance.

[0030] The cartridge, for example, of a calibre 5.56×45 contains abullet 1, a powder charge 2, a ignition cap 3 and a sleeve 4. Thecovering 5 made film-forming gel is put on the bullet surface. Thecartridge from side of the bullet is protected by cap 6. The protectivecap 6 does not used, if the covering film-forming polymers are used forcovering. The mixtures of oxides mentioned above are used as filingsubstance.

[0031] The prepared compositions of film-forming gels or polymers withfilling substances have the common name “REVITALIZANT-XADO”.

[0032] The test results of the various cartridges' with an additionalcovering on a bullet made of various compositions of “REVITALIZANT-XADO”on the basis of the material of filling substance mentioned above aregiven in the Table. The influence of an additional covering on theweapon ballistic characteristics was estimated according to change ofR₁₀₀ (the radius of a circle with the centre in an average point of thehit, containing 100% of holes) and r₅₀ (the radius of a circle with thecentre in an average point of the hit, containing 50% of holes), as wellas in 3 months after the treatment. TABLE Quantity of In 3 ThicknessDistance filing months The arm, of covering Width From substanceReduction after Quantity (a belt) of tip, in R₁₀₀, treatment of shot, k*D belt, p** D Revitalizant, Quantity % Reduction **** Cartride mm h mmmm grm/ml of shot, *** r₅₀, % R₁₀₀/r₅₀, TO399 0.01 D The The 0.12- 10036.0 20.0 0/0 1000 whole whole 0.15 22LR bullet bullet up to a up to asleeve sleeve M16A1 0.01 D The The 0.12- 100 36.0 20.0 0/0 10000 wholewhole 0.15 5.56 × 45 bullet bullet up to a up to a sleeve sleeve CKC0.02 D The The 0.05- 328 23.0  7.1 — New whole whole 0.07 7.62 × 39bullet bullet up to a up to a sleeve sleeve Tiger 0.03 D 1.7- 0.5 D0.12- 375 17.8 44.5 — 12000 1.8 0.15 7.62 × 54 KO-38 0.03 D 0.7- 0.3 D0.12- 375 31.2  8.2 1.8/0   5000 0.9 0.15 7.62 × 54 Tiger 0.03 D 1.2-0.7 D 0.12- 325 26.8 16.7 0/0 6000 1.3 0.15 7.62 × 54

[0033] It is seen from the table, the application of REVITALIZANT-XADOas an additional covering on a bullet surface, allows fastening theprocess of leveling, smoothing of barrel channels and to achieveimprovement of close grouping of shooting from 30 up to 44.5% and more,not changing or practically insignificantly reducing (up to 0.8%) speedof a bullet. At correct, according to the description and themaintenance instruction, a leaving of the arm the regenerative effectmay progress and reach 60% on criterion of closer grouping of shootingboth at during storage, and at the further operation.

1. A cartridge, containing a bullet, a powder charge, an ignition capand a sleeve, characterized that the addition covering with thicknessδ=(0.01 to 0.03) D is located on a bullet, where D is the bulletdiameter appropriates to a bullet calibre, made on the basis of afilm-forming is organic carrier contains filling substance, letter isproducts of dehydration of the hydrates, containing such oxides as MgO,SiO₂, Al₂O₃, CaO, Fe₂O₃, K₂O, Na₂O, at the filling substance (0.05 to0.015) grn/ml in the film-forming carrier.
 2. The cartridge of claim 1,characterized that a film-forming gel on the basis of paraffin is usedas an organic carrier for cartridges of calibre 22LR, 5.56×45 to7.62×39, the covering being put on the whole bullet surface.
 3. Thecartridge of claim 1, characterized that a film-forming polymer is usedas an organic carrier for cartridges of calibre 7.62×54 and bigger, thecovering being applied as a belt of the width h=(0.7 to 1.8) D and atthe distance L=(0.5 to 0.7) D from the bullet tip.